Before all of your books were on a Kindle, before all your news came from the internet, before magazines just went to your inbox, the art of printing was essential to the spread of information.

At the advent of the Industrial Revolution, the mechanization of printing presses (letterpress, linotype, etc.) brought literature and news widely to the general public, allowing literacy to be not just for the elite.

International Printing Museum in Carson, CA - just 20 minutes south of Downtown Los Angeles - allows visitors to step back in time and view one of the world's largest collections of antique printing machinery in the world, some so rare and unique that Hollywood has come calling for use in period piece films and TV shows.

On Saturday, April 12th, the Los Angeles Obscura Society will explore the world of books from the early stages of papermaking to lithography and typesetting, with an private guided tour of the museum and a hands-on demonstration customized exclusively for us.

Afterwards, we will visit a nearby taproom of a local LA craft brewery to learn the brewmaster's story of growing a beer business from homebrewing (a process which exploded in popularity when brewing equipment became more easily accessible) to owning his own commercial beer operation.

There, we'll taste some inspired concoctions of "weird beer" like the award-winning Groundwork Coffee Porter and the Sabre-Tooth Squirrel, a hoppy ale inspired by a not-so-mythic ancient beast. Since they offer a wide variety of experimental beers that aren't available elsewhere out in the market, we'll be wetting our whistles in typical Atlas Obscura fashion.

Notes for this adventure:

- This is a 3-hour event at two separate locations and will be led by Sandi Hemmerlein.

- The second location is a quick two mile drive from the first location. Please plan on providing your own transportation or carpool there.

-Your ticket includes admission to the museum, guided tour, printing demonstration/workshop, and a beer tasting at the tap room!

- Be prepared to stand and walk for at least one hour during the museum tour

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